Bringing Zexy Back
by RinRan
Summary: The life of Zexion: reading, sulking, pwning newbies, collecting members...and finding his non-existing purpose in his non-existing world. -ON HIATUS-
1. A Proposition

**Disclaimer:** Kingdom Hearts 1, CoM, and 2 are owned by Square-Enix. Insert witty comment after reading this sentence.

**RinRan's Rant:** Okay, let's get this straight. I. AM. A. PROCRASTINATOR. For more info please view Profile. XD

**Author's Note:** This fic made in commermoration of Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+'s release in Japan on March 29, 2007! After hearing Zexion's sexy Akira Ishida voice was enough to make a fangirl like me go crazy, but then finding out he's a R.O.D (Read or Die) sister, with the books and everything.

To put it simply, COOLEST Organization member EVER. Or at least the one with the most potential, in my mind. And now he can unleash his Zexy-ness in his own fic.

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**Bringing Zexy Back****

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**

The whole process was, by all means, an initiation.

Like the Heartless, there were just as many Nobodies in circulation, considering that the worlds are full of such noble, strong hearts. All of these 'leftovers' craves the hearts that were stolen from them, just as the Organization does. However, most of them are not powerful or intelligent enough to stand up to the task, where as the Organization is. Yet there was the question of number, which was what the Organization lacks, thus making either side of the Nobodies category stand at stalemate in their ultimate goal.

In their attempt to recruit as many of their kind as possible, the Organization settles on allowing only the strongest of the Nobodies to be welcomed into the ranks of the first six 'forefathers'. Like all initiations, in order to qualify the Nobody would have to retain their human form and pass a simple test. A test of strength.

It wasn't as if he detested violence, but he doesn't particularly enjoy immersing himself in its glory either. Unlike his other five comrades, Number VI was the youngest and the least battle-driven of them all. When the others gleefully attempt to best one another in their contest, he would retire himself to the research library in the Castle That Never Was. His strength didn't come in battle, but outside of it, and he detested having to dirty his own hands, as the Superior had noticed. However, not even that stopped him from deciding to choose the younger member to carry out the initiation for the next potential recruit.

Number VI sighed. He took one last look at the memo in his hand, reading it with increasing morose. The memo went like this:

_VI,_

_As you may have heard, II had succeeded in bringing in our newest recruit thus increasing our ranks by one. The newest member, ranked Number VII and renamed Saïx, proves to be a worthy addition to our cause. However, even with seven our situation remains grim. If we plan to conquer Kingdom Hearts, we will need more than a mere seven to carry out our ultimate plan._

_Mission: Acquire Number VIII._

_Status: In-Progress._

_Extra Notes: Other members have been forbidden to assist you._

_-I_

Upon reaching the end, Number VI promptly crumbled the note and stuffed it into the crevice of his uniform black coat. He then sighed again, deep and heavy, and began rubbing his temples in an attempt to gather his thoughts. There were already two things he despised about the memo; one being the natural fact that he would actually have to carry out the mission by himself (had it not been for that factor, he would have asked either IV or V to accompany him or do it for him). The other was the complete vagueness of the note itself. It was in the Superior's style to remain as enigmatic as possible among others-he was the same even before he had lost his heart-but being so means that VI would have to research and track the 'potential recruit', a.k.a. even more work to do.

"You're just lazy," Number IV commented in his apathetic tone. Number VI scowled at him with his one misty blue eye, as the other was shielded by a particular grouping of long silvery-grey bangs. The two were currently occupied in their routine game of chess, when the younger member brought up the subject of his mission. As he had suspected, the blond scientist immediately shut him off on the topic, just as the note had described. "Besides, I don't really see why you would make such a big deal about this. It's merely a mission of finding a powerful Nobody. That can't be too hard."

"Perhaps you've been locked up in your laboratory for much too long, Vexen," said Number VI, moving his own black knight piece and knocking the white pawn from its square. "There are many worlds out there other than Radiant Garden and our own non-existent world, just as there are many Nobodies. You only assume that it would be 'easy' due to the fact that Xigbar came back so quickly. But remember-the man he found was a previous acquaintance of his back at Radiant Garden. Check."

The other man scoffed. "Well, there you go. Why not start with Radiant Garden? It was our home world, which should make it much easier, don't you think?" He studied the black and white checkered board, before substituting his king's and rook's positions. "There were a few folks who showed signs of having a strong heart back there-don't you remember, Zexion?"

The younger man shook his head. "They were much too young back then-they must have either been turned into Heartless, or perhaps escaped unscathed. Either way, it's highly likely the place is more of a Heartless domain by now." The black rook was moved four squares to the right, eliminating the white pawn, and is now completely face to face with an opened white king. "Check again."

"Curses...Then I suppose you're on your own," muttered Vexen. His olive green eyes widen in a sudden panic, a mild break from his stoicism, when he realized there were no possible moves to protect his king, until he realize that one of his bishops could be moved to the square directly in front of the king. He did so, and then smirked, "Or I could 'accidentally' leak out some possible information..."

Zexion raised his one visible eyebrow in interest. "Hmm...Sounds tempting enough. Continue."

A high-pitched chuckle reverberated from the back of Vexen's throat. "Of course, it won't be so easily obtained-unless you're willing to do bit of 'extra work', Number VI."

"I thought as much. What is it? Is it new test subjects? Some kind of secret ingredients needed in your latest handiwork?"

Vexen smiled darkly. "Xenohart's memories," he whispered, eyes shining with unusual brightness.

Zexion blinked and slowly smirked. "I thought we agreed to let the past hinder us no more."

"Oh, naturally. But it's more for-how shall I say-a 'pet project'. Just something to pass the time."

"If he catches us, it could mean the end of our existent-for good."

"_If_ he catches us, 'if' being the key word." Vexen sighed and leaned forward, so that he would have to only whisper. "I don't see the point on why he should be the leader, do you? We were all there on that day. We all lost our hearts at the same time. So why is it that we had to fear him and only him?" He smiled oddly, before pressing on. "If we have his memories, his past, we could start over. We could use them against him and for our benefits, not his. He would become our pawn, our slave."

"True...'Control the past and you control the present,'" Zexion slowly said, entwining his fingers together in a thoughtful manner. There was silence between them for a short while before he spoke up again. "What about Kingdom Hearts? Where does it stand in all of this?"

Vexen scoffed. "Honestly, I could care less whether or not I get my heart back. Besides, I believe the same goes for _him_-he merely wants more power. The whole talk of retrieving our hearts is a façade for us and the soon to-be new members. It only proves necessary as long as he summons it, which will go along nicely for us, if you manage to carry out your part, my dear Zexion."

Zexion didn't respond; he was too busy taking this all in. It didn't strike him that Vexen was the rebellious type as to the point of already planning to overthrow the Organization at its tender beginnings. However, it did brought up some crucial points; if the Superior could be forced into submission, this could mean the rebirth of the Organization under much more capable hands-namely, the shunned ones. He closed his eyes and tried to recount the fateful memories of the past. He remembered them vaguely; for as long as his could remember, as the youngest assistant of Ansem the Wise, he was subjected to the most experiments and studies. It was he who prompted his master to build an underground lab to further their research, and yet why was it that he remained in the dark while the first assistant-Xenohart-should bask and revel in the glory from the master as if he was the one who had proposed it? For all his years, along with Vexen and Lexaeus, he had been ignored and never credited, and even now without his heart and his ability to feel remorse of anger he was still treated the same. It brought a sinking feeling to his stomach, but that was as close to indignation as it was going to get.

"Zexion?"

Zexion slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the older man. "It's much too early for this sort of action, don't you agree?" he asked quietly.

"...True. That was merely a hypothesis, however. Sooner or later this plan will be put to experimentation," replied Vexen. He heaved himself out of his seat, but remained bent over his younger friend. "Right now we're in the process of gathering information and data. The choice is yours."

"And Lexaeus?"

"You know he's in."

"Then the same goes for me."

Vexen chuckled, soft and high-pitched. "Allow me to welcome you properly into the Organization then." He extended one hand out, a gesture of promise.

Zexion smiled softly. He took the extended hand, and sealed his fate. "Now, what's the information?"

The chess board beneath the two men had long been forgotten and abandoned. The blond scientist snapped his fingers, willing the board and its pieces to disappear. He then placed a book in front of Zexion, who ran a finger down its leather cover with curiosity. "That contains a list of possible worlds where new Nobodies are supposedly born," he said with a smirk, "where I've found out when 'locked up in my laboratory for too long'. The Dusks proved efficient in gathering information, though they are somewhat stupid in nature. Thus the list may contain mistakes, despite my meticulous efforts."

"That's fine enough. You have already saved me a day of tedious research," Zexion assured him, tucking the book into his lap. He then cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow in question. "What do you require in payment?"

"I've been studying our dear Superior's action lately. Apparently, he also seemed acquainted with the newcomer," Vexen said in amusement. "The two are apparently close to one another, so close in fact, it's frightening."

"He must possess great strength, perhaps even more than Lexaeus, to attract the Superior's attention instantly."

"Oh, I believe it's more than that. They are more alike than they like to believe, only difference is that Number VII is completely devoted to the Superior with undying loyalty the moment he stepped foot into this castle. In fact," Vexen began to scowl, "Xigbar and Xaldin are already paying their respects to him."

"Respect! A lower ranking newcomer?" Zexion asked with surprise. It didn't seem like an action that would be tolerated-after all, what was the ranking system for then?

"Like I said, that's how close Number I and VII have become. The tenderfoot has literally become the Superior's right hand man in a matter of days."

"...I see. He's the one I'll have to see to first." Zexion closed his eyes again, this time to do what he does best. Inside his mind a plan was formulating, laying itself out like a blueprint in a way and language that he could only decipher.

He will have to understand Number VII in order to see his connection with the dreaded Superior, which may prove to be difficult. Again, he took to account his own strength against the other-in a fair fight, he would surely lose. However, with Zexion there was never a fair fight, only a fight of potential and wits. If this man was truly acquainted back in the days with Xigbar, he surely must have been trained to fight on instinct. That, Zexion was sure, that he would not be able to best him in, for the silver-grey haired man was gifted with heighten senses that had more than once defended him, even before an attack was to take place. As for intellect...if what Vexen had said is true about his complete loyalty, then rhetoric and any form of psychological warfare may not work on him. Illusions-his element-will not be the best of choice against such strong mental fortress in extracting information. Zexion sighed; there was no other way-

-He will have to go mainly with the book.

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**: Another Side... :**


	2. First Impressions

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own KH, KH: CoM, KH II, or an Internet connection. XD

**RinRan's Rant:** Sorry for the wait! Internet connection's been a bitch, ever since my mom's friend's granddaughter put a lock on her DSL connection, so I can't steal it anymore...Which means...I'm gonna be Internet-less for a loooooong time. Damn.

**Author's Note:** I want my re:CoM!!! ZEXY!!! Oh, and I had to chage this chapter, like, twice 'cause I didn't know how Zexion fight. But thanks to Youtube, I do now. He sounds funny when he gets hit, though...Wonder who'd play his voice in English...Hope it's John Burg-whatshisname (I forgot, teehee!), the guy that played Kurama and Eyes Rutheford. Or someone along that tone...XD

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**Bringing Zexy Back**

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When Number II had brought in the newly recruited Number VII that one day, Zexion wasn't there to welcome them along with the others, due partly to his aloofness and disinterest. He later regretted his actions that day, especially in the fact that all about Saïx is now a big mystery to him, from his personality to his fighting preferences. Especially his fighting preferences.

From as much as he could gather from Vexen, the only key points Zexion kept in mind was Number VII's 'great brute strength'. In the Schemer's mind, this could only mean two possible outcomes; one, Saïx is similar to Lexaeus, concentrating on throwing his weight around rather than on strategy, or (he hopes that this isn't the case) two, Saïx is a very capable fighter who would know what it is he is doing with great precision and insight. If this turns out to be the latter scenario, Zexion may find himself in a rather dire position; as he knows many times, he was not fighter.

"It's almost time," he quietly whispered to himself. The moonlight from the newly created Kingdom Hearts illuminated the training facility known as Addled Impasse. It was a vast, circular room, encased by wide windows that overlooked the outside of the castle. Zexion leaned against one of these windows and sighed, before taking out the black leather book. He flipped idly through its page, scanning through the neat written notes of the Chilly Academic. "Wonderland... Olympus Coliseum...Agrabah...Hmm?"

Zexion's visible blue eye widen in interest. Apparently, the page he happened to stumble upon that caught his interest had a large question mark at the top right corner of the page. Underneath it was Vexen's trademark phrase: "Requires further research." Zexion smiled and glanced at the title and the page's content:

_**Halloween**__****_ _**Town**_

_A town set in eternal darkness where its residents are obsessed with the town's titular holiday, to the point of trying to improve it with each passing year. This custom is overseen by the town's leader, Jack Skellington, or otherwise known to the residents as 'The Pumpkin King'._

_It was not until recently that the Heartless have appeared in this world, becoming docile upon entering. Only a few residents were unfortunately attacked and turned into Heartless, but the numbers were so small (as in about 2-4) that no records where made and kept in the town, and thus they were forgotten._

_However, what I find questionable is that how is it, upon entering the domain, the Heartless suddenly became quite harmless and even tame? A possible theory is that the residents are somewhat of a Heartless themselves-at least in appearance-and they do not possess a heart to begin with. This proves questionable, since they show all capability of emotions, self-awareness, and willpower-some of the attributes that contributes to having a heart._

_Perhaps, the residents of this town DO possess a heart, but many of them are weak. Only the stronger ones were thus attacked..._

The notes continued on, but Zexion was interrupted by a scent-a particularly light scent. It wasn't like any other scent he had smelled before, meaning that it could only belong to the one and only person he had never met, until now. Upon smelling it, he could tell that his objective was near, only a room away. And then, he finally appeared.

He was a tall, commanding man with long azure hair and a sharp face. Golden eyes stared out forebodingly, heightened even more by the large X-shaped scar across the bridge of his nose. Despite all of this, there was a hint of feminism about him. Zexion sniffed again and smiled in amusement at realization of the scent's identity. The man's scent was the same as that of the moonflowers, wisteria in particular.

"Number VII, Saïx, the Lunar Diviner, I presume?" Zexion asked, pushing himself off the glass surface and crossing his arms. The other man stopped shortly two meters of him. Even from that distance, he gave off the impression of looming over Zexion, causing the much shorter man to have to crane his neck back in order to stare face-to-face.

Saïx glanced back down, unimpressed. "And you are?"

"Number VI, Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer. I have wanted to meet you for quite some time now."

"Oh? And what would a senior member want with a novice such as me?"

Zexion smiled. His fingertips danced lightly across the leather cover of the book in his hand. "I've heard news of sort, about the incredible strength and prowess of our latest recruit."

For the first time, Saïx smiled back, reminding Zexion of a wolf in sheep's clothing. "You flatter me. I'm not that much of a fighter," he responds, in a way he clearly doesn't mean it. However, it seems that his interested was piqued; there was a glint in his eyes, as if he was enjoying the way this conversation was turning.

"No need for humbleness; that won't get you very far in the Organization," Zexion replied. He then closed his eyes and mentally took a deep breath; here he goes... "Besides, actions speak much louder than words, isn't it so? Perhaps we could get to know each other better through a friendly spar. What do you say?"

Even through closed eyes, he could see the wolf grinned. "Of course," the taller man seemed to purr.

"Glad to hear that," muttered Zexion. He tucked the black leather notebook into the crevice of his coat and placed on hand over his mouth, with the other arm still crossed. "I trust you know the basics, or should I go over them just for formality's sake?"

"'Each member fights with his own distinctive style and ability, some requiring certain objectives needing to be met,'" Saïx recited, earning a raised eyebrow from his short opponent. "The Superior briefed me the day I joined. Are you one of those that enjoy playing games?"

"Perhaps. Will you be able to keep up?"

There was a shine of light in Saïx's hand. It flashed before dissipating, leaving a large claymore in its wake. Saïx smirked as he then swung the weapon with one hand with ease, pointing the circular blade towards Zexion. With a twist of his wrist, the blade produced enormous, sharp spikes, becoming twice as wicked-looking. "We'll just have to see, won't we, Cloaked Schemer?" he whispered, the crazed glint reflecting once again from his golden eyes. Even the soothing scent of wisteria seemed to disappear, like the calm before the storm.

There was a brief moment of silence as the two stared each other down. Then came the first move; Saïx closed his eyes and arched backward, his arms spread wide open. The moonlight from Kingdom Hearts that shine down in all area began to feel thick, as if they were more than just light illuminating the room. Saïx then began to murmur, "Moon, lend me your strength."

Zexion narrowed his eyes, suddenly realizing that it was a spell; the Diviner was converting the moonlight into energy, as a sort of power booster. _So he can manipulate the moon_, he thought, a dark green orb forming in his hand. There was flash of light and a large book appeared, ancient and mystical in appearance. He flipped it opened halfway, to where the first, blank page. _Figured as much._

The spell was over. Saïx reopened his eyes and stared at Zexion. He glanced from the short man to the book in his hand and smiled sadistically. "Think you can stop me?" he sneered and leaped his opponent, closing the distance between the both of them in less than a second. With a battle cry he brought down his claymore in an overhead slash with such swiftness that leaves little time to counter. Not that countering was ever a choice in Zexion's mind; instead, he sidestepped the attack, gliding away just as the claymore struck the white marble ground. To his surprise, however, upon contact blue flames erupted forth from the weapon, sending a massive shock wave in a radius of six feet. Zexion was caught, being only three feet away from Saïx, and was thrown back violently from the shock.

"Is that all you've got?" Saïx taunted, readying himself again. "I was expecting a little more from my superior."

Zexion glared at the blue haired man. He quickly picked himself off the ground and glided away, as Saïx left no time for recovery after his attacks. The battle became a game of perverse tag, leaving hardly any time for Zexion to strike back, since his opponent continually chased him a barrage of slashes. Soon the whole ground became aflame with blue flames. The Diviner danced about amongst the blue tongues that flicks forth from the floor, laughing gleefully and wildly as he hacked away at the fleeting shadow that was Zexion. It became more and more apparent that he was just as the rumors and Vexen had tried to warn him; Saïx was a berserker, psychotic in nature and bent on destruction.

If Zexion had any emotions of fear, this would be when he ponders whether or not he had made the right choice in challenging the mad man. Unfortunately for him, since he lacked the emotion to, Zexion remained calm and impassive as he glides away from each slash. Without fear, he lost the impulse to not only run away, but to fight back as well. This he often considered a mixed blessing; at least he would still be able to retain his cool and see the problem through. In the meanwhile, he bided his time. He already analyzed that the man derives his power from the moon. If all go as plan, something interesting would happen...

Time passed on slowly or at least appeared to; it was impossible to know. Little by little Zexion felt the attacks become less and less aggressive. He slowed his paced just a bit and turned to face his pursuer. The spell was wearing off; Saïx also slowed down, attempting to make his slashed more accurate than deadly. With one final grunt he slammed the claymore onto the floor, while Zexion jumped dodge it. "My turn, I believe," the older member said coldly. The Diviner did not reply. He instead leaped backwards, leaving his weapon behind and prepared to summon another one.

Zexion noted of the discard, but said nothing. Instead, he focused instead on his own-the book in his hand. He placed one hand upon the empty page and in one swooshing motion sent a flurry of pages flying forth from the book. Another movement of his hand sent some of the pages flying towards Saïx, almost in experimentation.

The Lunar Diviner was not impressed. "A mere paper cut," he said, slicing away the onslaught of papers with his newly formed claymore. Tattered pieces fell around him like snow, camouflaging with the white ground below. Saïx narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "And here I thought it was going to be a challenge. Really, if I had a heart, this is where I would die of laughter."

"So sure of your own abilities already?" Zexion sneered back. "Fool of a novice-I've already discover your weakness!"

There wasn't any surprise shown in Saïx's eyes, but his action was a different story. He faltered slightly at the older member's sharp words, which allowed Zexion a few seconds to kick in his element. He closed the book and smiled darkly. "Allow me to show you what I'm truly capable of."

In an instant Zexion closed in on Saïx, appearing directly in front of him. Before the taller man could react with his weapon, green light infused with darkness erupted forth from Zexion's book, pushing him back with such force. Saïx didn't understand why the shorter man even bother to close in on him if to only push him away, until he saw the said short man held the book open in his direction and a strange light emitting from within its pages; it was a diversion.

"Ever played by the book before?" Zexion asked, smiling coldly. The light quickly drew him in and at the same time prevented his movements. The large book floated out of the Schemer's hand and flew towards its victim, the content of its pages showing. Saïx's eyes widen in surprise when he noticed the book got bigger and bigger-or was he getting smaller and smaller? He didn't have time to think anymore; the book swallowed him up, trapping him within its pages. The two-dimensional person that was him stared up at the owner of the tome, the look of surprise still fixed upon his face.

Zexion laughed sharply. "Well, now you will."

There was a blinding light aimed at Saïx, but all he could see was the darkness enveloping him.

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**: Another Fight... :**


	3. One of the Loose Ends

**Disclaimer:** I disclaim all claims on the KH characters...but claim the insane notion that Zexion and Axel are made for one another. XD

**RinRan's Rant:** Once again, sorry for the wait, due to very bad and brief Internet connection. I would upload on my school's computers, but...I'm too scared to. XP

**Author's Note:** Saïx's scent...Since his element is the moon (may I point out, WTF? Since when are planets and satellites consider 'elements'?), I thought, "Moonflowers!" So I went and look it up and voila-WISTERIAS!!! I heard they smell nice, and since he's strangely feminine (thank you Youtube for corrupting our minds) it worked pretty well, I like to think. And the fight is cut short because I do not understand Japanese, otherwise I would elaborate more on the weird triangle light game.

* * *

**Brining Zexy Back**

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"Vexen!"

A dark portal warped into existence outside of an unnamed room. Number II stepped out and immediately scanned the area. He snorted in disgust when his objective was not to be found. There was no one there, except for six tombstones and one recently constructed one for the newest member. It was an eerie room whose purpose was not yet defined, as the Superior was still making adjustments to it.

"Vexen! Show yourself!" Number II yelled, his voice resonating in the empty room. "I know you're here, so save us both the trouble of having this short conversation dragged out."

"And what if I don't approve of having a conversation with you, Xigbar?" came the cool reply of the Chilly Academic. Xigbar turned around, glaring fiercely at his colleague with one golden eye, the other hidden under an eye patch. Vexen smiled thinly and stepped out from behind Saïx's tombstone. "I know several things I can be doing right now that don't you in the picture. How sad it feels to have them all taken away from me with just your mere presence."

"You're no sunshine yourself, Mr. Antisocial," sneered Xigbar. "I just want to make sure of a couple of things, namely between you and Zexion. You didn't help him, did you, you little sneak?"

"Me? Why would I do such a thing?"

"I have a feeling, considering how tight you two were and are."

"Your 'feelings' never failed you," mused Vexen, sliding one finger along the smooth curved frame of the tombstone. He then smiled and added maliciously, "Never failed you, not even back then, isn't that so?"

There was a clicking sound. Vexen froze and turned slowly towards Xigbar, only to come face to face with the barrel of the other member's signature weapon-a gun. "Keep talking like that and I'll show you why I was dubbed the Freeshooter," Xigbar growled. He pressed the barrel to Vexen's forehead and then eased off. "Now, tell me another thing, and make sure you choose your words carefully this time, Number IV. Where is Zexion right now?"

Vexen rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "How should I know?"

"Strike one." A shot rang out, but the shot itself zoom past by the blond scientist's head before the noise could be heard, narrowly missing by a few centimeters.

"...Probably on his mission?"

Another shot, this time narrowly missing the other side of Vexen's head. Xigbar grinned viciously. "Strike two," he whispered.

Vexen gulped nervously and began to weigh his options, not before realizing that there were no options. Trying to flee would only lead to pursuit and he wasn't in the mood to run. Confronting Xigbar only result in even more pain, as Number II was a much more capable fighter whose element of space gives him the upper advantage; Vexen could do so much as freeze his opponents, but Xigbar was able to sidestep and defy gravity. That leaves telling the truth and hoping that his eye patch-wearing friend isn't in a trigger happy mood after getting what he wants.

"He-...He's still here in the castle..."

"No, really?" came the sarcastic reply, but at least Xigbar lowered his gun. "Go on."

"...He's fighting the new recruit."

Xigbar raised an eyebrow and whistled. "Fighting? Zexion? Against Saïx?" He twirled the gun absent-mindedly for a while as he process the information all in. Vexen thought that he was off the hook, until Xigbar suddenly laughed coarsely and cocked the gun again at his head. "Good bye, Vexen."

"What-but-but I told you where he is!!!" yelled the blond member, flabbergasted in contrast of his usual stoic image.

The other man laughed again, running his free hand through tied-back hair. "As if. What you told me is a cock and bull story. I mean," -he scoffed at this point- "Zexion, of all people! Against Saïx, also of all people?! That little shrimp wouldn't last half a second in a battle, let alone a mere spar with a _berserke_r-'berserker', being the key word here."

"You give your friend too much credit. Not all power comes from brute strength," sniffed Vexen.

Xigbar laughed again. "Well then, prove to me how much mightier the pen is to the sword, _Even_." He ended the sentence in disdain.

"And I shall, _Braig_," replied the blond scientist, not to be outdone. He made a swooping motion with his hand at the tombstone, which also served as a portal towards the Addled Impasse. Xigbar smirked. With a flash of light his gun disappeared and he stepped through the portal, with Vexen close behind.

* * *

Inside the murky darkness the game begins. Saïx knows this the moment he re-laid his eyes upon Zexion-both of them.

"Before you've asked if I was one for games," one of the silver-grey heads said, crossing his arms.

The other smiled, doing the same. "Well, now I'll ask you the same: are YOU one for games?"

Saïx frowned. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Does this even need a meaning?" The two Zexions smirked. They then both laughed and disappeared. Saïx readied himself with his weapon and studied the darkness around him. He recalled the Superior mentioning something about Zexion, about his style, how he will trick and deceive him to no end.

"It's all a mere illusion," muttered the Diviner.

"Can you be so sure?" a voice mused from behind him.

Saïx spun around, only to be hit at full force by an army of the magical books. The books flew about on their own will, resembling bullets in their attacks. Engulfed in green flame they shot out, slamming against the Diviner with lightning speed. Saïx found it difficult to deflect the attacks, and when he does successfully fend one book off, another book appears and knocks him of his feet.

"Will it never end?" he muttered, feeling his energy slipping away with each hit. Then, the barrage of attacks stopped, and for a moment he let his guard down. He later regretted doing so; the books immediately encircle him and without warning bombarded him all at once. Almost desperately Saïx brought his claymore up forth and swiped randomly at a book. Upon contact the randomly attacked book let out a cry of pain and the attack went unfinished with the other books disappearing. Saïx blinked and realized he had just hit Zexion.

Indeed, it was the Cloaked Schemer. The book warped into a bent-over outline of the shorter man, clutching at his chest. "Curses..." Zexion gasped, before sending a glare towards the berserker.

Saïx smiled and wasted no time. He homed in on his opponent, claymore raised, and slashed away at him. To his surprise and frustration, Zexion summoned another book, this time exploding into a flurry of pages that quickly surrounded him. The claymore went through and shredding the paper-but Zexion had escaped.

"An illusion?"

"Precisely."

Again Saïx turned around to the sound of the voice, and again it proved to be a fatal mistake. A book flew off and hit him squarely in the face, knocking him right off his feet. The taller man groaned and cursed incoherently under his breath, quickly getting up on his feet and he was about to ready himself. Instead, he slammed the blade of the claymore onto the ground in what is considered an act of anger.

Zexion proved to be a troublesome fighter.

Within a few seconds, three rays of light shone down through the darkness, forming a triangle. They flickered back and forth from the colors red and blue, with the latter color appearing less. Beneath each light floated a book.

"Let's see how well you can play the game..." the Schemer's voice echoed throughout the shadows, smugness apparent in his tone.

* * *

Vexen and Xigbar couldn't have chosen a better time to appear, at least in Vexen's case. The scientist tried to suppress his chuckle when he saw the shock look set upon his colleague's face.

"Well, I'll be," muttered Xigbar. His one golden eye blinked in rapid succession, as if trying to make sure that the sight before him was real and not of his imagination.

There before the both of them was the newest recruit, lying at the feet of their younger crony in defeat. Saïx was sprawled on the ground, clearly spent in energy, with the claymore mere inches away from his hand. He reached out for it, hand trembling slightly. Above him Zexion smirked and placed a foot between the hand and its objective. One kick send the claymore sliding down the floor, further away.

Saïx began to snarl until something fell right in front of him. The book collided against the floor with a _thump_, flipping open to an empty page.

"Would you like to have another go, Number VII?" Zexion said coldly. He was met with a silent glare, at which he smirked at. "I'd thought so." The Cloaked Schemer then turned away and snapped his fingers; the book vanished with a _poof_.

"We-ell, so even the quiet one actually has some spunk in him," said Xigbar, as Zexion approached them. He glanced in amusement back at Saïx, who was still lying on the ground, hands clenched in a tight, angry fist. The Freeshooter gave a laugh, before turning back to the younger man. "But, why did you even bother to pick a fight with him in the first place?" he asked in curiosity.

Zexion smiled. He stared up at Vexen. Blue and green made contact, though Xigbar took no notice of this secretive, knowing glance shared between them. "I'm just cleaning up loose ends," replied the shorter man, his gaze remaining unwavering.

* * *

**: Another Reason... :**


	4. The New Member

**Disclaimer:** I may have totally owned Marluxia during re:CoM in about three tries (curse his stupid card pick-up attack...), but I have yet to own Zexion. XD

**RinRan's Rant:** Wow, I'm still alive. Is this an update? I always find that those who updates after an EXTREMELY LOOOOOONG period of time ends up updating a boring chapter...Hopefully, this isn't one of those times...Well...unless you really hate lots and lots of dialogues. XD Thanks to those who have waited patiently! X3

**Author's Note:** Gasp! This is it-_the meeting between Zexion and Axel!_ A giant rainbow cookie with neopolitan shake to anyone who can guess who Axel's Other is (no, it is NOT Reno-even it's totally is. Even Nomura claims it to be so. XD). Whoo, the theory fanfic goes on!

Also, keep a look out for a reference to the KH: CoM manga! KH II vol. II-come out already in English!!! XP

When there's a -----:::----- break, the PoV switches between Axel and Zexion.

* * *

**Bringing Zexy Back**

* * *

The world technically wasn't supposed to exist. Neither were its inhabitants, the countless numbers of Nobodies that had taken refuge here. It was their sanctuary and had been for as long as he could remember. 

Constantly set in the state of eternal night, the most distinctive detail about this world was the large, heart-shaped moon presiding over the city – Kingdom Hearts. It has been there since the discovery of the world, always growing and always shining, their one source of light that they can bear to embrace.

Here in their fortress, the Castle That Never Was, the Organization domineered over their weaker Nobody brethrens while keeping a watchful eye over the progress of Kingdom Hearts. It was what they were 'reborn' to do.

Zexion found it all very ironic.

"We are Nobodies, shunned by both light and darkness," he said idly as he gazed up at the constantly growing heart-shaped moon above the castle. "We-"

"-Exist as product of our sins, for we have strayed afar from our righteous path."

Zexion turned around. Another member of the Organization entered Twilight's View and walked up the stairs to join him. He was a good deal taller than Zexion and though his face was hidden beneath his hood, the Cloaked Schemer could easily identify him. The scent was strong, warm, and slightly exotic; it reminded him of the dry, sun-baked atmosphere of one of the worlds he had visited before going on with his mission and overran it with Heartless, destroying the world in the process. Like that mission, destruction was the purpose of this particular member.

"Hello, Xaldin," Zexion said as the man appeared by his side. When he didn't say anything, the shorter man sighed. "And not even a hello in return?"

"Is it a habit to greet people that you already know?" Xaldin asked dryly as he pushed his hood back. Black dreadlocks tumbled down, causing his earrings to tingle when he brushed his hair back behind his ears. A dark, haggard face with incredibly large sideburns peered down at Zexion, with midnight blue eyes that stared impassively.

"Of course, didn't Vexen tell you? It's National Proper Greetings day."

"What an idiotic idea. He came up with that?"

"He comes up with many things."

"What a moron."

"If you believe so," Zexion sighed, putting an end to the meaningless exchange of sarcasm. He looked up again at the growing heart-shaped moon. Dark clouds drifted by and veiled it from view.

"...Why exactly are you here, Xaldin? You're not exactly the type to seek company and I don't believe it's to gaze at Kingdom Hearts either."

"A little bird-well, parrot if anything-told me that you've defeated Number VII."

_This again_, thought Zexion. He believed that he would never be able to understand his colleagues' lust for strength. "News travel fast."

"Yes, and for that I extend my congratulation," Xaldin said, smiling. He folded his hands behind his back and walked away.

Zexion stared after him. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"What more is there? Shouldn't you be on your mission?"

"I need to know something-who exactly is Number VIII suppose to be? Does Xemnas already know?" The shorter man sighed when Number III didn't answer, but chose instead to continue walking away up the steps. "Why me?" he asked, a little more quietly.

Xaldin stopped. He tilted his head back and peered over his massive shoulder. He then smirked and said, "There are no stupid questions, just stupid people." With that he laughed and continued to walk on. A portal formed and he walked into it, disappearing.

Zexion stood there by himself, his one eye widened and mouth slightly agape.

* * *

'It' never knew if it was once a 'he' or a 'she' – the bloated physique was all it ever had to go with. 'It' was as round as the moon that presides over the town, with short, stubby arms and legs that could hardly do it justice. A unicycle was connected to its leg as means of transportation.

In short, 'It' was fearsome, yet buffoonish in appearance, a trait not at all unusual among its kind.

What was it that had happened? From the hill, the moon was a spectacular sight, gigantic and pale in its glory. It was the same way for as long as 'It' could remember, including on that night. Pieces of memories came back like a puzzle: they came in numbers, out of the shadows; they were like the other citizens of their beloved town and were even quite friendly; they suddenly turned against them, attacking some; they went back to normal.

_Why? _

The graveyard was as silent as it always had been. It had become infested with the little creatures of darkness, sniffing about with their antennas waving about in the air and observing with their bright yellow eyes. It's been a while since the attack, but 'It' remained apprehensive nonetheless. They never paid any attention to it, but one could never be too careful. One of them crept past 'It', sending it twisting away, contorting itself with such speed that it felled off the sarcophagus with a thud. The creature went on sniffing, moving to a different area.

'It' sighed and picked itself up. The graveyard was getting too crowded-it was time to move on. 'It' checked the unicycle and was pleased to find it was still intact after the fall. Slowly it balanced itself, pedaling awkwardly-it's been a while since it had move-and cruised out of the graveyard through the wood entrance. It would have been faster if 'It' had merely resort to gliding and twisting, but it felt strange doing so. It was a new ability that 'It' had discovered after the attack and was useful in eluding the unworldly creatures and the other townsfolk, but 'It' preferred its usual, familiar form.

Into the wood the darkness became stronger. Fear was never an issue with 'It', since 'It' was taught to love and live fear from the day it was conceived into this world. However, 'It' never did get over the trauma of the attack that fateful day, and the darkness was the last thing 'It' wanted to see ever again. As 'It' pedaled a good distance away from the opening, 'It' concentrated. Light formed in its mind, shifting slowly into shape and matter.

A small flame flickered forth from its small hands and grew steadily until the whole woods were illuminated.

"I see. So that's why he chose you."

The flame vanished with a poof as 'It' quickly turned around. 'It' apprehensively surveyed the dark woods, watching for any sign of movement or listening for the voice again. There was no one behind it. A sigh of relief escaped from its mouth and 'It' turned back around---

---Only to find a figure ahead of it. The person-'It' knew he was a person from the perfect anatomical outline of his body, unlike the usual grotesque and bizarre shapes that the town folks have-was cloaked completely in black as night itself. His identity went unknown due to the hood covering his face. He clearly was not from Halloween Town, but he didn't seem to be with those _creatures_ either. Yet, this doesn't mean he is not a threat.

-----:::-----

Despite the sudden darkness caused by the disappearance of the flame, Zexion could see the Nobody perfectly clear. He frowned at the sight of it; it was no bigger than he was, though was three times his size in width. Combined with the metallic whiteness and the awkward angular essence of a Nobody to the roundness, it has comical look, like a weird-shaped ball trying to balance on a unicycle.

And yet, appearance aside, the Nobody was capable of summoning an element, demonstrating a possible potential and strength. No wonder Vexen was interested enough to record this in his notes.

"It still maintained its shape after losing its heart, at least, although it's converting to the form of a low ranking Dusk," Zexion muttered quietly to himself. He covered one hand over his hand and narrowed his eye in analyzing the Nobody. "And yet, it possesses an intelligence not found in an average Dusk for that matter. Interesting..."

_Could this be the eighth member I was supposed to find?_, Zexion wondered. _Is this the only choice I have?_

Across from him, the Nobody blinked its small eyes, teetering back on forth on its unicycle for balance. It still stared at him suspiciously, but at the same time showed no signs of making a move.

Zexion sighed into his hand. _Well, at least see if it can talk..._

-----:::-----

"Good evening."

'It' blinked again, this time in an act of surprise.

The stranger removed his hand from where his mouth would be and sighed again. He then took a step closer, causing 'It' to pedal back a feet. Seeing this reaction prevented the man from making any attempt to come closer. Instead, he gave a slight bow and greeted again: "Good evening."

The sound of the creaking wheel seemed to echo in the dark forest. 'It' nervously teetered back and forth. Should it respond back? The man showed no actual signs of hostility, so he could not be one of those creatures that had attack 'It'.

'It' opened its mouth for the first time since the day of the attack and breathed in some air. "G-good e-even-ning," 'It' quietly gasped. Its voice was rasp and high from disuse.

"So, you can communicate," replied the man. 'It' slowly nodded. "You don't have to be afraid. It's not as if I bite. Well," the man paused and started to laugh, "what I mean is, it's not as if you can even feel such a feeling any more."

"N-N-Not feel?" 'It' blinked twice and cocked its head to the side. The stubby arms at its side flapped up and down, and slowly 'It' felt itself, running its small hands over the swelled up belly. Its body felt rubbery, yet strangely eluding. "Not feel?" 'It' asked again, looking up at the man blankly.

Again the man laughed, this time shaking his head as he did so. "Of course you would still have perceptual feel." He placed one hand over his mouth, as if trying to hide his amusement further. "No, what I meant is that you cannot feel emotions, due to the lack of a certain something."

"And w-what is that...?"

The man removed his hand. He then placed it over his chest where his heart should be and clutched the leather of his cloak. "Before, you were just like the others, weren't you? Exactly the same as the inhabitants of this town," he explained. "And then the creatures came, born from the darkness. Of course, in appearance they were no different from you. In fact, they were a frightening bunch, weren't they? You had feared them, subconsciously, whenever you had to near them, even though on the outside you welcome them due to this fear. However, that fateful day came, and they suddenly turned against and attacked you, without so much as a warning.

Tell me, what did you feel during that time? Was it fear, anger, disgust? You probably couldn't recall, could you? But what you did recall was that you suddenly felt lighter, as if a heavy burden was lifted off your chest. You probably saw it too as the darkness overcame you, one of those creatures holding a bright, crystallized light in its claws." The man emphasized with a swoop of his hand, stretching it away from him with his palm wide open, only to clench it into a fist. "That is what you had remember, correct?"

The whole time 'It' quivered on its unicycle, slowing digesting the stranger's recount of what it had tried to remember, with strange uneasiness. The matter at hand was like a bad dream that one could not get out off. To 'It', this dream was worse because it knew it would have to finish. But would 'It' be able to bring itself to?

There was only one thing to say in a situation like this. 'It' took a breath and quietly rasped out, "Y-you...talk too much..."

The man chuckled. He brought his hand down and placed it at his side. "And you're just afraid to face the truth. But believe me, my grotesque and funny-looking friend, that was no dream. It was all too real, so just come and accept it. Those creatures that attacked you are known as Heartless, and they had stolen the most precious thing possible to any being from you-your heart, the source of all emotions. What they left you was your body, which has transgressed into an entirely different being dubbed a Nobody."

"N-Nobody?"

"Yes, that is what and who you are now. A remnant of your strong heart, a being now forever shunned by the darkness and the light. You and I," the man again brought his hand up and outstretched in as in offering, "are practically brothers."

-----:::-----

Beneath his hood, Zexion frowned. The creature before him was at least intelligible to speak and comprehend, but there was the matter of belief. Should it ask for proof of his word, how was he going to provide it? Had it actually been someone from his original world he may have an easier time convincing, but this wasn't the case. There was no familiarity between them both, only weariness and suspicion. He could always demonstrate his element and comment on its similarity to the other Nobody's. But if it should come to force...Then again, what if he made a mistake? What if this Nobody-regardless of having met most of the qualification-wasn't the new member he was supposed to find?

_How am I supposed to know anyways_, Zexion thought in annoyance, _given such a vague notice and absolutely no lead, let alone help?_

The creature continued to stare at him with those expressionless, dull green eyes, its head still cocked to the side. Its mouth remained pursed, a strange line stretching from one ear to the next. That line then suddenly began to quiver and slowly parted. "...Take off your hood," the words flowed out of the parted lines, still raspy, but slowly becoming stronger and surer. "Let me see your face."

Zexion blinked and smirked. "As you wish," he whispered coolly. Slowly he unzipped his coat, revealing the lower part of his face, neck, and collarbone. He sighed quietly, and just as slowly reached up and pushed back the hood. The night air felt cool against his exposed skin. Still smirking, Zexion looked up at the other Nobody...

-----:::-----

The man was pale as the moon hidden above the thick canopy of straggly branches. His hair was as silver and grey as the old tombstones just beyond in the grave, sitting beneath Moonlight Hill. It covered half of his face, revealing only one eye, dark and blue as the midnight sky.

'It' stared long and hard. He, the man, was definitely not one of the town folks and probably not from anywhere else near here. His features were too...un-Halloweenish, even with his dark clothing. 'It' recalled seeing another of similar structure to the man, but there was something about him that didn't quite place well with that one either.

"You are not from a holiday, are you?" 'It' asked, as it pedaled closer. The man smiled and nodded. "And you say...that you are...my brother?"

"When it all comes down, we are all essentially brothers," the man replied with a wave of his hand. "But yes, you and I are one and the same."

"But I look nothing like you..."

"Must our appearances be the same in order for you to trust me?"

"...It would be easier..."

"And yet you do not even trust yourself."

'It' stopped in its tracks. The man speaks the truth so well, frightening 'It'. _Would_ have frightened it-didn't he say that 'It' could no longer feel emotions? Yet at the same time, the man's blunt comments were exactly what 'It' needed to hear.

-----:::-----

Silence was exchanged between the two of them. Zexion sighed, breaking it off. Several hours must have passed since the beginning of their meeting, and he was starting to grow bored. "So, have you come to accept the state of your situation?" he asked it, impatience near detectable in his tone of voice.

The other Nobody before him teetered again back and forth of its chosen vehicle, as if trying to collect its thought again. Thankfully, it didn't take as long as the last time to answer and its response was one that Zexion had not expected so soon: "Yes."

_Yes._ The answer echoed in his mind. The Cloaked Schemer slowly smirked; it was about time for their encounter to get interesting. "You are certain?" he asked it.

The creature hesitated, but nodded its head. "Something...I'm not sure, but something about your words...There's some truth in it." It paused and stared upward, trying to peer through the thick, straggly, tangles of dead branches above them. "For as long as I could remember, I always lived in this...hype. It was always 'Halloween this' or Halloween that'." Had the creature stopped and looked into Zexion's face, he would have noticed the bland expression he was wearing due to not understanding about the concept of 'Halloween'. But the creature didn't, so he went on talking, regardless of whether his audience knew or not. "You'd said that I didn't even trust myself-I guess that was true. But because of our excitement for our holiday, we never dared voiced our opinion. We never questioned for change.

"Yet secretly...I did doubt myself. I did wonder if what we're doing is right, is this the way it should always be for eternities to come. Of course, on the outside I'm happy about each year, like all the others, but on the inside..."

Zexion smiled. He closed his eyes and shook his head in wonderment. The Nobody was contradicting himself; at the attempt to explain, it was merely digging a bigger hole as it tried to paint its picture. "So you're unlike the others-you've wished for a change, is that correct?" he interjected.

The creature turned to Zexion. "Basically, I guess. Is that what caused those-those...what are they, Heartless? Is that why they attacked me?"

"Perhaps that is one of the factors."

"I see...wait, it can't be. He wasn't attacked." The creature cocked its head to one side, as if trying to think. Its head twisted and shimmered without its knowing, bending back and forth out of proportion. Finally, it gave a sigh and shook its tiny head. "No, forget it...I don't care anymore."

-----:::-----

"I hate them all. Every last one of them."

The man smiled, but it wasn't in sympathy or in scorn; it was just a smile, an action. He did it with no emotion and 'It' didn't expect him to. "Why is that so?" he asked 'It'.

"I don't know," 'It' sighed, hanging its head. "I think...it was because they made me so angry, back then. Their obsession, their carefree attitude-"

"You were like that once," the man pointed out.

'It' cocked its head to one side as if to consider this. "I suppose you're right," 'It' began to say, "but now I know. They still don't. They still think that the world only consists of holidays when in fact there are others out there that probably didn't really care about our work and effort. It makes me sick, with a capital 'S'."

The man laughed. "And you knew about this, these 'other worlds'?"

"Well...no. But I had a feeling. And ever since Jack came back and showed us the workings of this 'other holiday'...but it really doesn't matter, does it? I can't go back; I don't have anything anymore-no ideals, no beliefs..." 'It' trailed off. Again it cocked its head and stared at the man across from it. Slowly, 'It' asked, "Do you usually just stand there and listen in situations like this?"

The man shrugged. "I wouldn't know-it is my first time doing recruitment," he admitted. He then sighed, "But now that you mentioned it...I suppose we can begin the Initiation, if you truly believe you are willing to give up and begin anew."

This was it. A sigh, almost as soft and raspy as the rustling of dead leaves, echoed in the empty forest. 'It' continued to stare at the man with its small, dull eyes. "If I join you," 'It' began, "then what is to be my purpose?"

For a moment there was a silence before the man laughed again. "My, where are my manners," he muttered, shaking his head. "Of course, how would you know? We're an organization that collects hearts."

"Hearts?"

The man nodded. "Yes, our purpose is to collect hearts. Not directly, of course-too much hassle and trifling work to go through. On the overall scale, we're ultimately gathering them in order to unlock the door to Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds."

'It' blinked. "It seems...unbelievable...somehow."

"Oh, it may at first. But I can assure you, this is serious business. After all, we are trying to reclaim the hearts that we've lost." At this point the man smiled, but it was an action trying to mimic the feeling of loss. "All seven of us, and soon to include you," he said halfheartedly, bowing his head.

"But...I've lost my heart. Why would I want it back?" 'It' asked skeptically.

-----:::-----

"Don't tell me you actually enjoy being in that state for the rest of your existence," Zexion replied, looking up. "Like I've said, this is your chance to start anew, with a complete blank slate. All your past problems would disappear, leaving you a chance to...well, live the right way, I suppose. That's the case with the rest of us."

"...If that's the case, so be it," the other Nobody muttered. Upon receiving a questioning look from him, it spoke louder and elaborated more, "I think...I could hardly care less about getting my heart back-"

_Honestly, I could care less whether or not I get my heart back_, Zexion suddenly remembered. Wasn't it Vexen who had said that? He mentally chuckled at the brief déjà vu.

"-but...I don't want to live like this forever. I'm sick of them and this place..."

Zexion smiled once more, and whispered, "I take it...?"

The creature faltered for a moment, but finally nodded.

"Excellent. Then let us begin, shall we?"

* * *

**: Another Light... :**


	5. The Initiation of VIII

**Disclaimer:** I own this fic, except for everything that is in it...So, basically...I own nothin'. XP

**RinRan's Rant:** Happy Luxord month and Xemnas-Demyx day in the year of the Axel everyone (10-19-08)!! Amazingly, I've died, went to Heaven, dropped by Hell for about 3 months, then got kicked out and is here once again! But I'm still remembered, right? Right? ...Right? XD

Just a quick summary on what had happened in my life: School as a senior, scholarship, extreme mental breakdown, colleges, evil bitchy English teacher, SATs, practices, and last but not least...COMICS!! I've started a new story, currently 27-ish pages, and I'm thinking of adapting it to be (YET) another KH fanfic. Actually, it might even replace "Walk It Out". I don't know...

**Author's Note:** Now, about this extremely delayed chapter...I actually finished this about 1-2 weeks after chapter 4, but then my beta and I went on a random writing spree on another project affectionately dubbed 'WHIPSIP' (or What Happens in the Pool, Stays in the Pool). Then, she went off to college, so I'm officially personal beta-less. Therefore, I was extremely uneasy about actually releasing this chapter, since it's completely un-proofed (except by me, but you can never trust your own judgement). There will be mistakes (grammatical ones)...You've been warned!

Also, on a more story note...Even with an outline already written, I've found this story to be really difficult for many reasons. One: everything has to be chronological and parallels the already given KH timeline. Two: everyone has to be in character; therefore, there are no actual pairings and no mentioning about Axel wanting to get into everyone's pants (darn...). Ix-nay on the Sex-ay. Three: whatever plot holes occur, I have to fill them while making sure they make sense and not too fanficcy. I've never read much of these situations in other fanfics, though I do know that Fenny Piper did rather well with her Luxord fic "Broken Logic" (and she even managed LuxDem in it too! Amazing!). And finally, Four: incorporating and intertwining the actual KH game into this, meaning when the fic gets to part existing in the game, real dialogue takes over (though it may be exaggerated to be more dramatic). It's all very depressing to me and my poor little head...

This chapter is a good example of number 3, due to Axel's initiation. The situation on paper seems innocent enough, but if it's actually in the game...eh, a bit of nudity never hurts anyone. XP

Another concern is the protagonist of this little fic, Zexion. A lot of reviewers said he's totally in character and not emo, but I'm still somewhat skeptical. Maybe it's just me, but the fact he's reluctant of missions is a little emo-ish to me. But, if the readers say 'yay', I guess I'm on the right path. I do love his little ettiqutte quirk though. Thank you, reviewers! X3

Sorry about the longness of these notes. Just making up for 3-4 months, is all. XP

When there's a --:-- break, the PoV switches between Axel and Zexion. LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!

* * *

**Bringing Zexy Back**

**

* * *

**

Around the time the Organization came to be, the man once known as Xenohart imposed strict guidelines to abide by. Rules were, after all, the only source of means that could keep a structured yet stable society between the six of them; a reminiscent of the past that live on. The first guideline, the dark man that is to be known as their Superior presented, was to forget everything about and loosen all ties with "the past". The second guideline was to come to accept their emotionless beings, yet fight against them nonetheless. The third guideline-the ultimate one-was to do everything in their power to collect all hearts so that they may open Kingdom Hearts once more and retrieve back what was once rightfully theirs.

Of course, guideline Number III could not be accomplished with such a few amount of members, and thus the fourth guideline was invoked to support it: the Initiation, a process of finding and welcoming other Nobodies who showed great potential into their ranks and their cause.

The Initiation was broken into three simple steps, the Superior had told them at their Rebirth. First, there was the matter of locating the Nobody, and then second, the observing and interviewing of it. These two steps Zexion had achieved with relative ease, but then came the final step; the core of the Initiation itself-the test of strength.

_But how to go about it?_

Before arriving, Zexion had planned to give himself only a certain amount of time in accomplishing his task. What he had expected was a quick consent, followed by a mild spar, and then planned to contact the Superior to come and finish the ordeal (which was how Xigbar had done so; he claimed that the Initiation could not be completed until the Naming, which was apparently something only their leader could do). However, as realities often turn out, that wasn't the case.

Instead, what Zexion had planned did not occur, as the 'consent step' took a bit longer than expected. How can it not, with so much to understand for the recently made Nobody who, despite its claims, still had some attachment to its home? From what the Cloaked Schemer had perceived, the buffoonish-looking Nobody still had some internal conflicts. Perhaps he was being too careful and assuming the worst, but the one thought that had been preoccupying his mind since the start of this mission was the need to finish it as soon as possible-regardless of the other Nobody's sentiments.

_Wrong choice of words_, Zexion mentally scolded himself. _After all, Nobodies can't feel. _

Zexion outstretched his hand towards the creature and snapped his fingers. The sound seemed to resonate through the empty forest before diminishing off into the night. Suddenly, there was a burst of green and black flames, extending from the Cloaked Schemer's hand. Just as quickly as they had appeared, the flames dispersed, leaving a large, black tome behind. It floated in midair while flipping open to an empty page.

"Initiation, commence," whispered the short man, with a toss his head. His long bangs were lifted up for a brief moment, revealing the missing mirror image to the other eye before falling back into place, concealing it again. Zexion then smiled and grabbed the book, readying himself. "Shall we begin?"

--:--

'It' couldn't feel-that was what it had had been told. However, if 'It' could feel, the closet emotion that it had felt was one of surprise and dread. As if sensing its uncertainty, the man gave a cold smile and told 'It', "In a situation such as this, it's best to have some sort of way to at least defend yourself with."

All 'It' could do was to stare, dumbfounded, back.

The man sighed. "Why not try...the light within you?" he hinted.

The light within? _Of course_, 'It' thought as it peered down at its tiny hands. A small light quivered into existence, gradually gaining size, hue, and form as it crackled and hissed when coming to contact with the cold night air. _Fire._

For as long as 'It' had known, fire existed within it. The fire had been used numerous times as a source of fright. How many times had 'It' entered the sleeping minds of children and adults, only to appear with its buffoonish head-suddenly alit? It was only recently did 'It' actually had used those flames for more than just spectacle, with the Heartless always creeping about near 'It'.

'It' took one last look at the ball of fire in its hand and turned to the man. A nod was all 'It' received. Again, 'It' looked back to its hand, swaying undecidedly.

A low chuckle emitted from the man. "Sorry, but I really don't have the time to play teacher," the man whispered coldly as he suddenly lunged forward, pages flying about around him.

--:--

Zexion quickly closed the distance between himself and the Nobody, close enough to see those piggy eyes widen. He waved one hand and several pages around him flew past by him in a straight line, spiraling straight into the other Nobody. As he had expected, the attack was more than the creature could handle; it gave a raspy cry as it was pushed back, slamming against a tree.

"Come now-what had I just finished telling you earlier?" asked the Cloaked Schemer. The other Nobody replied with a groan, at which he snapped his fingers, causing the fluttering pages to reattach themselves into the book. He then took several steps toward the Nobody with book in hand.

As soon as he did so, flames erupt from the ground before him, creating a wall of blindly light. Zexion narrowed his eye, all the while smiling. He could make out the fallen figure, no longer slumped against the tree, twisting away across the ground as a silver blur. Quickly he turned around only to face a wave of flames lashed out against him, creating an explosion.

--:--

'It' breathed heavily in high-pitched rasps. It stood up slowly, still shaken by the man's previous attack. It couldn't believe what it had just done, even if its attack had been on impulse. _Defend yourself_, the man had told 'It'. Defend, and nothing more. "Wa-...Was that a little...too much?" 'It' wondered aloud. It then buckled over suddenly, clutching at its bloated stomach. The man's attack left a smart sensation, despite 'It' seeing no noticeable scratches on itself.

"Rule number one of combat," a cold voice drifted through the dark woods. 'It' remembered what it was supposed to be doing and quickly look up-

-To find a scorched white wall facing it. 'It' could sense that the man was smirking as the voice continued on, the wall of papers slowly fluttering away, "Never assume that the enemy is dead, unless you see his body with your own two eyes."

"Y-You're alive," 'It' gasped.

"So you've noticed," was the man's curt reply. "Now, what I'VE noticed, on the other hand, is one of more interest: you seem to be standing on your own two feet for the first time since we've met."

'It' stared at the man with wide-eyes and quickly looked down. Its unicycle, for as long as 'It' had known to be attached to it, was missing. Immediately, 'It' toppled over; its tiny legs could never have supported it.

The man smiled in amusement. "You're reverting to be quite the Dusk," he mused. "However, the Organization has no use for another pawn. Once you're captured, you'll remain nothing more than a forgotten memory." He snapped his fingers, readying the book once more. "Do you want to lose your conscious completely, or evolve into something more, something 'whole'? What will it be, Nobody?"

The air was thick with tension; 'It' could sense it surrounding him and the man like one thick fog. The next move, whoever it may be (most likely the man, though) would determine the end. It was a strange battle they were fighting, even though 'It' had never been in combat up till now, with no end except to prove a point: was 'It' really it?

'Its' mind was racing as it squirmed to stand back up. The man had asked the same question earlier, yet in a different form. He was trying to provoke 'It', and it was working; 'It' eager embraced the proposition, but there was a difference between agreement and actually trying to carry it out.

_What makes him so different than me_, thought 'It', _if we're one and the same?_

Inside of him came the answer: _a purpose._

_Then w__hat purpose is mine?_

--:--

Yes, thought Zexion, yes. He could see the light of understanding in the other Nobody's eyes, as small and confused as they were, and felt the weight being lifted off his shoulders for the first time since the start of the mission. It finally sees.

"And here...we...go," he muttered to himself. He flitted past the fallen Nobody, turning swiftly and whacking in the head with the book. The blow sent the large creature rolling away, stopping only when slammed against another tree. Zexion then flipped open the book and waved his hand, summoning the pages once more. The papers fluttered about, circling high around them, laying flat in midair. Once in a perfect circle on an even plane, they circled more slowly, waiting for the next command. One of the pages' tips connected with a branch, causing a clean and deep cut in the wood; this attack will deal the finishing blow.

The other Nobody no longer chose to try to stand on its useless, tiny feet. It instead stared about wildly, as if searching for something. Zexion followed its gaze, which then rested upon the unicycle that the Nobody was separated from. "That old thing again?" he wondered out loud. Does that Nobody still believe that the vehicle would still be of any use to it? "Please, you-"

He stopped, suddenly realizing the Nobody's gaze at its fallen wheel. Wheel. Its transportation. Its source of movement. The Cloaked Schemer smiled to himself. The Nobody wasn't looking for a way to move anymore. It has a plan...

Come on, he thought, feeling a sense of rush, call to it. Show me the power that would set you apart from those weak fools that are cursed to the name 'Nobody'.

Then, it happened. One moment the Nobody was on its short limbs, the next a silver flash twisted across the ground towards the unicycle. Zexion brought his hand down and the pages stopped moving. Another quick wave of his hand sent the pages flying down towards the Nobody, who had reached the unicycle and holding it in its two hands. The flurry of white inched closer with each passing milliseconds...Then a flash of light and the sound of explosion. Zexion shielded his eyes this time, as the light and heat wave were much stronger...

The next moment he felt a rush of cool air and the hard thud of his back connecting to a large tree. He tried moving his arms, but found that he couldn't as they were pinned to his side by strange, large, wheel-like weapons. He raised an eyebrow at their appearances: red and silver, 8-pointed chakrams. Then, he shifted his gaze back in the direction of the attack, and the Nobody that had committed it. Zexion laughed, "So, even pawns have the power to attack and even capture. I wonder what sort of piece you will become when you reach the other side."

The battle was over. The Initiation was complete.

--:--

The flames were dying down, remaining only concentrated in one particular area. 'It' was completely ablaze, yet felt no sensation of pain or burning. Yet something was changing within 'It'; power coursed throughout its body. 'It' felt more powerful, more capable than ever before.

_What had just happen,_ 'It' thought in wonder. The unicycle-it was gone. Was the attack successful? Slowly, 'It' looked, peering past the flickering tongues of the flame in search of the man. 'It' could see his outline, trapped against a tree between two wheel-shaped weapons. _Did I do that?_

As if sensing its question, the man smirked back at 'It'. He then enveloped himself in a swirling mass of black, disappeared only to reappear right in front of 'It', freed from the weapons. He rubbed his wrists as he continued to smirk down at the crouching, aflame Nobody. "I must say, that was pretty impressive," he told 'It', "but it took you long enough to finally realize the potential within yourself."

'It' curled its own lips, which felt somewhat more different than usual, and formed its own smirk. "I'm new at this, remember? Give me a break. Besides, it wasn't as if we were fighting for real, got it memorized?" 'It' paused and examined its words. This new attitude was much more different than before also, but this was 'It'; this is what 'It' is. The new personality, the changing looks beneath the flames-they all feel so right, so..._**him**_.

The man let out a little laugh and shook his head. "It's strange, I must admit...Usually, a Nobody would retain its general appearance, but it looks as if you decided to have a complete makeover."

'He' smiled. "You said to born anew," he replied, "and besides, I hated the old me. I wanted to forget, remember, to cast away the past and all that jazz? I've wanted to throw away that old useless body and start fresh." The flames were dying down; soon there were only a few flickers here and there, dancing across his arms and legs. He shook them off and patted them down, wanting to be rid of them.

"True, I did," answered the man. He arched his visible eyebrow at the other Nobody's chosen new appearance.

The Nobody became the exact opposite of what he was in past. He was now tall and lanky, with long, well-defined limbs. Crowning his head was a wild, spiky mane of fiery red hair, as if a physical representation of his fire element. Upon his face remained the remnant of the past: upside-down, thin teardrops under each of his now peridot eyes, which shine with liveliness and cat-like curiosity. It really was as if the once rotund Nobody has really born anew, with the flames having eaten away at the old, useless exterior.

'He' stood up, at first shakily, but after realizing the new strength of his long legs he stood and began to walk about in confidence. However, he then stopped and smirked at the shorter man, who was observing in amusement. "I seem to lack something," was his comment on his 'exposed' new body.

"We are all naked at our birth," the man replied, snapping his fingers as he did so. Out of nowhere, a Dusk emerged out of the ground in a burst of darkness. It handed the man some folded clothes and a pair of boots, all of which were black. It then also handed him a note, which the man took in mild surprise. When it disappeared back into the darkness from once it came, the man handed the other Nobody the clothes and opened the note. As he read the contents, his visible eye became wide, as if in shock. "This can't be! He's not serious-"

"What's the matter?" 'He' casually asked as he finished dressing himself. He felt the material of the clothes, feeling how tightly the jacket hugged him just right, how the boots were perfect fit. It was as if the clothes were specifically made for him.

The man crumpled up the note with one hand. When he looked back at the Nobody, his face returned to its stoic, cold composure. "It seems that there was a slight change in plans...According to the rites of the Initiation, only the Superior is allowed to proceed with the Naming. However, it seems as if that honor has been bestowed upon me." He then and place a hand over his nose, pinching the bridge. "A fine mess this is certainly turning out to be," he muttered, "but a job's a job, no matter how much further you must dirty your hands..."

--:--

With on hand Zexion beckoned the other Nobody, who sauntered smoothly to him. He then summoned the book once more, this time flipping it to a page with a large 'X' at the top of the page. A portrait of a man, dark and handsome in his youth stared out at him in a three-quarter turn. Zexion sighed and placed his hand upon the page. Black and white strands-the tell-tale sign of the nothingness element-burst forth from the page and danced and twirled around his hand; he then lifted the hand up slowly and held it out in front of the redhead's face, who bended forward in mild curiosity. There was a flash of light, and several large, golden outlines of letters appeared directly in front of the Nobody, who appeared to have gone into a trance. Zexion then twisted his wrist around and the letters whirled around the Nobody's head in clockwise motion, going faster and faster until it became a golden blur. The Cloaked Schemer then lowered his hand, only to thrust it directly into the Nobody's face again with fingers spread. This time, the letters stopped moving and were all rearranged, with the addition of a large, golden 'X'. The Naming was complete.

The redhead Nobody broke out of his trance and noticed the letters for the first time. "...AXEL," he read.

Zexion smirked. "The new you," he said, closing his book with a snap. "Congratulations, Axel, Number VIII, and the Flurry of the Dancing Flames. Welcome to the Organization."

Axel smirked as well, and tested the name again, "Axel...Not bad for a name. Better than my old one any day. Though that title...I feel like it puts a damper on my style."

"It tends to," replied Zexion. As the book disappeared in a burst of green and black flames, he summoned a portal from the shadows and beckoned Axel to follow him. "It's time to go now. We have much to learn, much to cover, and much to do." The redhead nodded and walked to him. However, he stopped before entering, causing Zexion to raise an eyebrow in question. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," the redhead replied nonchalantly with a grin, "just the fact that I still don't know your name."

The two Nobodies stared at each other in silence, before Zexion broke it by laughing. "Oh my, where are my manners?" he said, trying to cover his smile behind a hand. He, the Cloaked Schemer, was the practitioner of proper etiquette among the Organization members. He had scolded others for having forgotten to properly greet him and here he was, forgetting to practice what he had preached! "Forgive me, Number VIII. Allow me to properly introduce myself-

"I am Zexion, Number VI of the Organization, otherwise known as the Cloak Schemer. I hope we could learn to get along well in the long run."

* * *

**: Another Birth :**


End file.
